Q: What are the documents required during online submission?

Detailed Question -

I'm currently submitting my paper to Science via the online submission system. I have a few questions:

1. The cover letter provided by your editing service is addressed to the Science EiC Dr. Jeremy Berg. However, his name is not there in the editor list on the submission page. Should I just address Dear Editor without any name and then choose Science editor from the list (on the submission page)?

2. Science's guidelines for authors doesn't specify when to submit the License to Publish, Authorship Form, and Statement of Conflicts of Interest. What's more, every author should sign Statement of Conflicts of Interest which makes the number of attachments exceed the allowed attachment (less than 10 at the time of submission). On asking colleagues who have an experience with submitting to the same journal, they told me that both documents should be submitted after review and that every author needs to log in and sign. Should we submit these documents during submission?

Thanks for your help. I look forward to your professional guidance and advice.

1 Answer to this question
Answer:

Here are the answers to your questions:

1. The name mentioned on the cover letter is correct. Dr. Jeremy Berg is the currecnt EiC of Science. I think you should use the name provided rather than 'Dear Editor' as the former sounds more professional.

2. Science has a very clear tutorial explaining the submission process and the documents required at the time of submission. You can access the tutorial from here. (Click on the hypelink at the end of the first point on the bulletted list.)

The License to Publish, Authorship Form, and Statement of Conflicts of Interest are not among the documents required at the time of submission. The website states that: "In general, authors will complete the license form as a 'click-through' during the process of uploading the revised manuscript after peer review." It also mentions that "For manuscripts that are accepted, all authors are required to affirm and explain their contribution to the manuscript, agree to the conditions of publication including the availability of data and materials, and declare any conflicts of interest."

Thus, it is quite clear that you don't have to submit any of these documents at the time of manuscript submission.

 

 

 

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